Tag: Japanese cuisine

Renowned Japanese Chef Teppei Opens First Halal Eatery Serving Fukuoka’s Famous Udon

Chef Teppei Yamashita is on a roll.

From Man Man in Ubi to Men-Men Tei Ramen at Marina One, Chef Teppei’s latest joint, Fu-Men, is a carby love letter to his hometown of Fukuoka.

Best part, this is Chef Teppei’s first halal Japanese eatery so everyone can enjoy a taste of this authentic Japanese udon.

The Teppei Empire

Considered a form of fast food in Japan, udon can be enjoyed in many ways: warm or cold, in a broth or dry. Every province also has its own take on how to prepare the noodle dish.

Reigning from Hakata, a district in Fukuoka, this newly halal-certified eatery is a rare gem. Hakata udon is mostly only found within the Fukuoka district which means it’s rare that you can find it in other parts of Japan, much less in Singapore.  While most halal Japanese eatery compromises on flavour to cater to the locals, Fu Men Japanese Udon ensures that they maintain the original Japanese flavours.

Hakata-style udon, which is what is served here, is characterised by slimmer noodles as compared to the Sanuki style, and a clear broth made with light soy sauce, dried anchovy, flying fish, dried bonito and kelp.

The broth takes over 45 minutes to prepare as it requires rigorous temperature control and several steps. Plus, the stock is preservative-free and filled with Japanese anchovies, saba, tuna and sardine.

We went for the signature Gobo ($12 for regular, $7 half) which came topped with Burdock Tempura. Not many Singaporean diners may be familiar with burdock as they are typically used in soups and can have an overly-earthy taste.

The burdock is coated in a light tempura batter, shaped in a circular disc and deep fried. Surprisingly, the tempura burdock still had a soft crunch and retained its unique woodiness despite being soaked in the broth.

While the tempura was impressive on its own, what truly sealed the deal for us was the udon noodles that were imported from Fukuoka. The udon noodles were silky smooth and satisfyingly chewy at every bite. It’s the perfect option if you’re looking for a light lunch-time meal.

If you’re looking for something that combines both Singaporean and Japanese flavours, their White Laksa Udon pretty much takes the cake. Using the same udon, the light broth is replaced with a rich laksa gravy and topped with fresh prawns.

For those who prefer the typical Japanese dishes such as Prawn Tempura Udon or Beef Udon, you’ll be pleased to know that they are available at Fu-Men as well!

So to all our Muslim friends who lament about the lack of good halal Japanese options in Singapore, you can finally get your Japanese cravings fixed at Fu-Men.

Fu-Men Japanese Udon & Donburi Restaurant
Address: 16 Raffles Quay, Hong Leong Building #B1-17/18, Singapore 048581
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri: 10am – 8pm, Sat: 10am – 2.30pm, Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays
Contact No.: 6224 1134

Also Read This Hawker Turned His Family Recipe Into Japanese-Inspired Dishes – Sells Duck Ramen For Just $5

(Header Image Source: Discover SG)

If You’re Mad For Marbling, This Restaurant Serves Grade 9 Wagyu Beef Bowls Under $25

Let me just start off with a disclaimer – I’m a huge fan of steak.

So imagine my delight when I learned that I was going to be sampling Wagyu beef bowls one fine afternoon.

A short ride on my Grab later, I find myself in the heart of the CBD, at TOKIDON.

Beef Appreciation 101

Some background – TOKIDON is the new brainchild of the people who brought us sake gastrobar Kabuke, with the aim to educate customers and make them more discerning when it comes to beef.

Standing at the helm of this new venture, is Head Chef, Rio Neo.

Chef Neo started working in the kitchen when he was younger, helping out in his parents’ economic bee hoon stall, preparing ingredients and cooking. It is this experience which inculcated in him the belief that simple ingredients can produce big flavours, and that not everything has to be expensive to taste good.

He would later encounter the variety of Wagyu beef, as well as the different cuts and preparation methods during his time working in Fat Cow.

His stint in Kinki also equipped him with the know-how when it comes to food presentation and seamless fusion of different cuisines.

These experiences would subsequently culminate in TOKIDON’s menu.

A Beef-ed Up Menu

TOKIDON specialises in Wagyu beef bowls.

Chef Neo uses Grade 6 and Grade 9 Australian grass-fed Wagyu beef in the rice bowls.

For those of you who don’t know what the rankings mean, Australian Wagyu goes by the ranking of 1 to 9, with Grade 9 Wagyu having the best marbling (fat to lean meat ratio).

He mentions that he personally sources for the farms that raise the cows, to ensure that they live in optimal conditions and that the way the cows are slaughtered plays a part in the quality of the beef.

“Happy cows equals to delicious beef”, he quipped.

TOKIDON serves up 4 cuts of beef – Wagyu Tenderloin, Wagyu Striploin, Striploin, and Wagyu Shortplate.

If you’re new to Wagyu beef, Chef Neo recommends the Gyu Don ($11.90) which uses Striploin. It has a balanced fat to lean meat ratio, so it won’t be too rich and jelak after finishing a bowl.

But for those of you looking for something a little different, go for the Wagyu Sukiyaki Don ($17.90) which uses Wagyu Shortplate. It’s a unique cut of beef that’s offered at TOKIDON.

Wagyu Shortplate is usually braised or slow-cooked to offset the chewy and tougher texture of the cut. At TOKIDON, the Wagyu Shortplate is sliced thinly and cooked sukiyaki-style, before it’s served in the beef bowl.

The result is a Wagyu beef bowl that makes Yoshinoya’s Gyu Don retire in shame.

Chef Neo’s personal favourite, however, is the Truffle Wagyu Don ($23.90), which uses Wagyu Striploin and is dressed with a house blend of truffle and soy sauce.

For the accompanying pescatarians, TOKIDON didn’t forget about you guys. They have a Salmon Cha Soba ($16.90) which comes with a teriyaki-glazed, sashimi-grade salmon served on a base of green tea soba and an onsen egg.

If you’re looking to reduce your carb intake, you can choose from a salad or cha soba for other base options.

While the mains are great, the sides aren’t lacking either, with options such as Tori Karaage skewers with Yuzu mayo ($1.90), Fried Ebi skewers with Mentaiko sauce ($1.90), Spicy Corn Cup ($3.90), and Wagyu Suji Miso Soup ($3.90).

The side that stood out to me was the Wagyu Suji Miso Soup. It was an interesting creation and I’ve never seen it served in Singapore.

Chef Neo explained that he tries not to waste any part of the beef, so he used the wagyu trimmings to make the soup, and mixed in miso paste for additional flavour.

“Suji is actually a dish I came upon when I was in travelling in Japan, where it was served in traditional restaurants. It’s like a stew that the Japanese usually prepare in Winter. It’s very comforting”, said Chef Neo.

This is a side dish that you have to try. It’s worth every cent.

TOKIDON also has a Sunakku menu that starts at 3pm. The only items on the Sunakku menu currently are the Wagyu Sliders ($12.90) and Wagyu Bolognese ($9.90).

The Wagyu Bolognese comes served with buttered, toasted slices of foccacia, which goes incredibly well with the Wagyu Bolognese.

The beverage menu features authentic Japanese canned drinks (from $2.90) and cup sakes ($11.90).

Happy hour begins from 4pm to 9pm and every order of 10 beers or 5 cups of sakes will get you one-hour of FREE FLOW TORI KARAAGE. This is not a joke.

TOKIDON Merchandise

Food aside, TOKIDON has also collaborated with local artist and creator of Kult Magazine, Gallery & Studio, Mojoko, and Flabslab to come up with official merchandise.

Get the limited edition “Tok-Tee” for $59.90, or the adorable 8-bit acrylic keychains at $9.90 each, or $26.90 for a set of 3.

What’s more, with every purchase of a beef bowl at TOKIDON will earn you a chance to try your hand at their Gachapon machine where you’ll stand to win any of the acrylic keychains or meal vouchers.

So if you ever get the craving for wagyu beef, TOKIDON is the place to go, with really affordable (there’s no GST) and high quality Wagyu beef bowls, perfect for the uninitiated or seasoned wagyu connoisseur.

As for me, I’m definitely returning for more wagyu beef bowls because I am officially converted.

Update (20/09/2018):

TOKIDON has just announced island-wide delivery with all orders made through the their website, with free delivery on orders $100 and above!

If you’ve been longing to feast on their beef bowls, TOKIDON has also released the Beef Bowl Party Set which is great for a group of six. The set comprises of two Gyudon, two Sukiyaki Wagyu Don, two Truffle Wagyu Don with two Tori Karaage, two Corn Cups and six Green Tea for $99 only (U.P. $136.40).

A $20 delivery charge applies for all orders under $50 and just a $10 delivery charge for all orders above $50.

Now, you can enjoy TOKIDON’s repertoire of gourmet beef bowls, featuring only the best Grade 6 Wagyu slices and Grade 9 Sukiyaki Wagyu, in the comfort of your home or office.

TOKIDON
Address: 16 Raffles Quay, Hong Leong Building #B1-33, Singapore 048581
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri: 11am – 9pm
Contact no.: 9151 9572
Website

Also read Can’t Fight This ‘Filling’ – This Izakaya In Novena Serves Gyoza In Unique Flavours Under $8

(Header Image Source: TOKIDON)

Slurp 11 Different Ramen While Enjoying J-Pop And An Eating Competition This Weekend

Whenever I’m having a bad day, one of the few things I find comfort in, is a hot bowl of ramen.

Singapore is no stranger to ramen establishments, with many dotting the island, serving up bowls of comforting noodle soup.

This weekend, Singapore’s largest and only ramen event, Ramen Revolution returns for its 2nd edition!

The Revolution Returns

This year’s Ramen Revolution will be bigger and better than last year’s, with an extensive event lineup spanning the weekend, taking place at Resorts World Sentosa, The Forum B1!

Some of the participating ramen stores include local favourites like Kanshoku Ramen, who will be presenting their best-selling Truffle Ramen, and Hokkaido Ramen Santouka with their event-exclusive Tantanmen – made with their signature shio base, sesame paste, and chilli oil for that spicy kick.

Other ramen stores who will be offering event-exclusive ramen include Ramen Bar Suzuki with their Extreme Black Tonkotsu Ramen, Kajiken Singapore with their Okinawa Mazesoba, and Men Men Tei with their Jiro Style Aburi Chashu Ramen.

On top of being able to try all these exclusive ramen, you get to vote for your favourite ramen store! If the ramen store you voted for wins the most votes, you stand a chance to be one of 10 lucky winners to walk away with Crayon Shinchan collectibles!

That’s not all that will be happening at the Ramen Revolution 2018. There will also be JPOP performances by various JPOP cover girl groups such as Natsuiro Party and Tokimeki JUMP.

For those of you who are intrigued by eating competitions, we have good news.

There’s the Food Fight, a speed eating competition, organised by Singapore’s very own Food League SG. Participants will have to finish a bowl of ramen and 8 gyozas in the fastest time. The fastest 6 will qualify for the finals on Sunday.

Food League SG’s own competitive eater, Zermatt Neo, will also be there to demonstrate his ability at Capacity Eating (eating a large amount of food in the time allocated).

The champion of Food Fight will win a 3D2N staycation at Park Hotel Clarke Quay, $100 Syun F&B voucher, a pair of S.E.A Aquarium adult tickets and a pair of Adventure Cove Waterpark tickets!

If you’re a Japanophile, don’t miss out on the Ramen Revolution 2018, happening this weekend from 27 to 29 July 2018 at Resorts World Sentosa, The Forum B1!

Ramen Revolution 2018
Venue: Resorts World Sentosa, The Forum B1
Date: 27 – 29 Jul 2018
Not Your Average Sweet Treats – The M Plot’s Macarons Come In Flavours Like Salted Egg X Curry

(Header Image Source: So Ramen and Ramen Revolution)

P.S Cafe Launches Jypsy – New Japanese Dining Concept Featuring Sushi, Sashimi, And Unagi Fried Rice

P.S Cafe has long been a prime brunch spot for Singaporeans.

With various dining concepts, each housed in a beautifully decorated interior, there’s something for everybody when it comes to dining at P.S Cafe.

Recently, P.S Cafe launched a new concept, Jypsy.

Japanese Cuisine By P.S Cafe

Located at 38A Martin Road, this new concept by P.S Cafe is a casual and vibrant restaurant that’s stunning yet not intimidating.

Because sometimes if a place is too atas, I’m not stepping in.

Now unlike the other P.S Cafes, this one serves contemporary Japanese cuisine.

On their rather extensive menu, you’ll find grilled skewers, fresh sashimi, sushi rolls, cold and hot plates, as well as rice and noodle bowls.

For mains, try the Unagi Fried Rice, which comes with grilled unagi, tofu, pickles, omelette, and slaw.

Don’t miss out on the Tonkatsu Curry Rice, which has breaded Iberico pork cutlet, Japanese curry, a pile of shredded cabbage, and grilled shishito peppers.

Some of the items on the menu can also be tweaked for vegetarians, like the Smokey Nasu sushi roll – robata Japanese eggplant, roasted peppers, tofu, miso aioli, and pickled radish.

If you’re looking for sides, be sure to get the Nest of Fries, crispy shredded potato is drizzled with white truffle oil, wasabi mayo, and teriyaki balsamic sauce to become what’s possibly the most fragrant “nest” we’ve ever smelled.

If that doesn’t look appetising to you, I don’t know what does.

Jypsy’s menu is extensive, with many sharing plates available if you’re in a large group.

Check out their full menu here.

Jypsy is casual yet elegantly refined and the food is great! So if you’re planning a dinner date, this is it.

Jypsy
Address: 38A Martin Road, #01-02, Singapore 239072
Opening Hours: Tue – Sun: 11.30am – 11pm, Mon: Closed
Contact no.: 6708 9288
Website

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(Header Image Source: @pscafe)

‘Udon’ Know Good Udon Until You’ve Tried Inaniwa Yosuke

I don’t think that there are official ‘sides’ to the Udon VS. Ramen argument. If it is even an argument in the first place. But if I had to pick sides, I’m a Ramen fan.

There’s just something about thin yellow noodles that seems so much more appealing than the thick strand of udon. Udon just seems so…much.

Looking at Udon makes me feel like it’s going to be jelak before I even order.

So this weekend, I did something (relatively) brave. My Udon-loving friend found a particular Udon restaurant in Wisma Atria and she wanted to try it.

So off we went on a lazy Sunday afternoon for Udon.

A Hidden Gem

Hidden in plain sight on Level 4 of Wisma Atria, next to FoodRepublic, is the Japan Food Town. If you think this is another “Shokutsu Ten” at Nex or Jurong Point, you’re wrong.

The restaurants here are next level. Deep within the Japan Food Town was our destination, Inaniwa Yosuke.

The restaurant looked unassuming. Like a run-of-the-mill Japanese restaurant with limited seating and fancy-ish decor.

I went in with a sense of trepidation because I’m a person of habit and tend to stick to what’s familiar and good. I’m really not an udon person.

I ordered the Beef Udon ($16.80) because that was the most familiar flavour besides the Carbonara Udon that was sadly, out of stock. My friend ordered the Wagyu Steak Don Set ($24.80) as well as the Agedashi Tofu ($6.80) and Salmon Sashimi ($10.80) to share.

The first dish to arrive was the Agedashi Tofu. Four large pieces of perfectly tempura fried tofu sitting in a light soy sauce.

This was a delight to eat. The biggest gripe I have with Agedashi Tofu is that their batter becomes soggy very quickly but this one was soft yet crispy with its delicate batter and the soy sauce was not too salty. Basically, AMAZING.

Next was the Salmon Sashimi and each piece was fresh and sliced thick.

Not that it’s a bad thing, but the broth was definitely better than I expected. Next, the udon noodles.

The udon noodles here are thinner than the usual thick variety that we’re all familiar with. The restaurant uses Inaniwa-style udon noodles which are thinner and smoother and is handmade every step of the way.

[caption id="attachment_34232" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Image Credit: here.

I’m definitely going back for more and I recommend that you give it a shot.

Inaniwa Yosuke
Address: 435 Orchard Road, #04-45 Wisma Atria, Japan Food Town, Singapore 238877
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri: 11.30am – 11pm, Sat – Sun: 11am – 11pm
Contact no.: 6262 3279
Website

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(Header Image Source: FourSquare User Janie Chua)

Teppei Syokudo Is Releasing Self-Heating Bento Boxes And It’s Like We’re Living in The Future

In July this year, there was a Chinese brand, Ba Shu Lan Ren, which was selling self-heating “Lazy” Ma La Hotpot.

This innovative meal comes with its own heating pack which reacts with water to generate enough heat to cook a small container of food.

Teppei Syokudo’s Hot New Creation

Teppei Syokudo is a casual dining concept brought to you by the same people who founded Teppei Restaurant. They are popular for their fuss-free, customisable Kaisen Dons which are a hit with Chirashi Don and Sashimi lovers.

Fast forward to 27 September, Teppei Syokudo is releasing their own series of self-heating bentos which utilise the same heating pack concept.

Out Of The Kitchen And Into Your Belly

There are 4 types of bentos: the Gyu Don ($15.80), Oyako Don ($12.80), Minced Meat Mapo Tofu Don ($12.80) and the Napolitan Pasta With Hamburg ($15.80).

Instead of the usual vacuum-packed ingredients, these bentos come ready to eat. All you have to do is prepare the heating pack and water.

The heating pack will take only 5 minutes to heat up the bento, so you don’t have to wait long to dig in!

For those of you who are fans of their Kaisen Don, do give these self-heating bentos a try. They can be ordered at any Teppei Syokudo outlet in Singapore. They definitely look more appetising than a microwaveable meal from a convenience store.

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(Header Image Source: Burpple User Joe Yang)